Create a Custom Property for Metro Area

1. Why Create a “Metro Area” Custom Property?

• Streamlined Searches & Outreach: You can filter or list contacts in “London Metro” vs. “New York Metro,” enabling targeted invites, local marketing campaigns, or in-person coffee meetups.
• Better Accuracy than City: While a contact’s city might technically be “Richmond upon Thames,” that is functionally “London” for many travel and event purposes. A Metro Area field clarifies that relationship.
• Handles Split Residences: Some contacts may spend part of the year in multiple locations (e.g., “New York City” and “Miami”). A well-structured property (like a multiple checkbox) can capture these dual or even triple residences.

2. Field Type: Multiple Checkboxes vs. Dropdown

Depending on how mobile your contacts are, you might choose Multiple Checkboxes or a Dropdown Select:

1. Multiple Checkboxes
   • Use if many of your contacts have multiple “home bases.”
   • Allows selecting more than one metro area per contact (e.g., “New York City” and “Miami”).
   • The downside is that visual clutter can build up if you have dozens of potential cities.
2. Dropdown Select
   • Ideal if most contacts have only one main metro area.
   • Forces a single choice, which can simplify reporting and segmentation.
   • Less flexible if you have a lot of “dual-residence” contacts.
3. Avoid Free-Form Text
   • Resist the urge to make this a single-line text That leads to inconsistent data entry like “NYC,” “New York,” “N.Y.C.,” etc.
   • A predefined list of options ensures uniform data and easy segmentation.

3. Steps to Create a Metro Area Custom Property

Step 1: Plan Your List of Metro Areas

• Draft a list of common metros your contacts inhabit (e.g., “Greater London,” “New York City,” “Los Angeles,” “Toronto,” “Chicago,” etc.).
• If uncertain, start with a smaller set of key cities and expand the list as needed.

Step 2: Go to HubSpot Property Settings

1. Log into HubSpot.
2. Click the Settings gear icon (top-right).
3. In the left sidebar, choose Properties (ensure you’re on Contact properties).

Step 3: Create the Property

1. Click “Create property.”
2. Object type: Contact.
3. Group: Contact Information (or create a new group like “Location Info”).
4. Label: Metro Area.
5. Internal Name: Auto-generates.
6. Description: Indicates the metropolitan area nearest the contact’s residence.

Step 4: Choose the Field Type & Add Options

• Multiple Checkboxes or Dropdown Select (depending on your needs).
• For each metro area, add a clearly labeled option (e.g., “Greater London,” “New York City,” “Miami,” “San Francisco Bay Area,” etc.).
• Set a default value if you want (e.g., “Not Specified”), but you can also leave it blank until the field is populated.

Step 5: Save the Property

1. Verify the label and options.
2. Click Create (or Save). You now have a Metro Area custom field ready to use.

4. Updating Contact Records with Metro Area

Manually for Individual Contacts

1. Open a Contact: In Contacts > Contacts, select a specific contact record.
2. View All Properties: Locate Metro Area.
3. Select the Appropriate Metro(s): Check or pick the relevant city from the dropdown or multiple checkbox list.
4. Save.

Bulk Update

• Bulk Edit: In the contact list view, highlight multiple contacts > Edit > set Metro Area.
• Import: If you have a spreadsheet with Metro Area info, map that column to your Metro Area property when importing.

Potential Automations (Optional)

• If you have a HubSpot plan that supports workflows, you could create a workflow that sets Metro Area based on Address or City fields if you can match known patterns. (Requires well-formatted data and careful logic.)

5. Using Metro Area in Your CRM

• Segmentation & Lists: Build an Active List for each major metro area: e.g., all contacts with Metro Area = “Greater London.” Ideal for event invitations, local meetups, or personal outreach when you travel to that region.
• Personalization Tokens: In marketing emails or templates, you might reference their Metro Area for a localized greeting (but be mindful if you have a default or blank).
• Pipeline & Deal Associations: If relevant, you could associate deals with the contact’s Metro Area for region-based forecasting or territory assignments (especially if you’re working with a sales team).

6. Best Practices

• Keep the List Manageable: Too many city variations can become overwhelming. Use broader “metro” labels rather than tiny districts (e.g., “Greater London” vs. “Richmond upon Thames”).
• Define “Metro Areas” Clearly: Ensure your team or assistant knows the criteria for which metro to select, especially for suburbs. If you have global contacts, consider the biggest cities or your main markets.
• Review & Update: If someone moves or starts splitting time between two locations, update the Metro Area property to reflect their new reality.
• Combine with Default Address Fields: Keep track of the actual City or Street Address in the default HubSpot fields. The Metro Area is an additional overlay that aids searching and segmentation.
• Consider Your Tier Limitations: If you’re on HubSpot’s free plan and can only create a limited number of custom properties, ensure “Metro Area” truly justifies its spot.